PTR Industries announces move to South Carolina, first to dump Connecticut

PTR Industries Vice President John McNamara wades through a stack of letters asking them to move to a specific location. (Photo credit: Business Insider)

“The cat is out of the bag on Connecticut firearms manufacturer PTR Industries. They are coming to Horry County, South Carolina!!!,” South Carolina Rep. Alan Clemmons (R- Myrtle Beach), who met with the company earlier this month, wrote to his constituents via Facebook this morning.

And it’s true. PTR Industries announced that it’s packing up and moving to South Carolina, the company confirmed with Guns.com this morning. It’s the first of all the Connecticut gun makers to do so.

The formal announcement will be made at a ribbon cutting ceremony on Monday at 2:30 p.m. at an industrial building in Aynor, PTR Vice President John McNamara said and added that “the entire company will be relocating.”

In South Carolina PTR Industries aims to employ 140 people, including its current employees, Josh Fiorini, PTR Industries CEO, told The Sun News.

Right now the company staffs 42 people all of whom will relocate over a three-year period, but the facilities and whatnot should be out by Jan. 1, McNamara told Guns.com in May.

The rural town of Aynor is about 30 northwest of Myrtle Beach and, according to the town’s website, has a population of about 600 people.

While details are scarce, McNamara said they’ll disclose more information on what prompted them to choose South Carolina over a handful of other states, namely Texas and New Hampshire, as their final decision.

The company announced in April that they would move due to Connecticut lawmakers passage some of the toughest gun laws in the country as a response to the shooting at Sandy Hook. The new measures would heavily restrict PTR Industries key product, which is essentially a high end reproduction of Heckler & Koch’s G3 rifle and uses magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds.

During the announcement ceremony South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, U.S. Rep. Tom Rice (R-Myrtle Beach), much of Horry County’s legislative delegation and County Council members are expected to be in attendance.

“While we weren’t on the fence about it, we did want to see what our options were,” McNamara said. And added that they made the final decision yesterday afternoon.

There are still a handful of other gun manufacturers teasing the idea of relocating out of Connecticut such as Colt, Mossberg, and Stag Arms, but there’s no official word yet. However, Stag Arms, which is most likely the next company to move, is rumored to be seriously considering South Carolina.

If the entire gun industry relocates out of state, Connecticut stands to lose up to 3,000 jobs and $1.7 billion in economic activity, according to the National Shooting Sports Foundation.

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You should try Commiefornina. Where transparency is a thing of the past as they jerks in Sacramento passed a bill to do things behind closed doors. Also where they're working hard to negate the Constitution and the 2nd Amendment. On top of piling on more debt.

Dan Graham Well, let's give Remington/Marlin, Sturm Ruger, Colt's Mfg, and the others a chance to move out - but if they still haven't six months from now, ALL of them need have the holy living fuck boycotted out of them - and not just Remington.

For 30 years my wife and I owned and operated a gun store in up state (Buffalo suburbs) Western NY. Our youngest son and his wife have since taken over. In the 36 years this business has operated, nothing has been made easier to do business in this Liberal minded state, it has only gotten more difficult to keep the doors open. I wouldn't be the least bit surprise if all the gun makers in NY wind up moving out also.

I disagree, Conn. is still about Liberty and freedom. Gun control, liberty and freedom are different subjects. There has been a lot of trauma inflicted by guns. To many people/ children died on that sad day. I would be surprised if Conn. did not respond in some way.

Sharon, It was not the guns that did the killing of anyone, it is the sick ass person behind the gun that did the killing. I have had a gun for over 20 years and as of today it still has not gone out and killed anyone. Don't you frigin understand that GUNS DON'T KILL PEOPLE PEOPLE KILL PEOPLE. So get your facts straight about guns.

Good News PTR! SC is my retirement state to which I will be moving from NY in 5 years. Can't wait to move down; see your new site and buy another PTR91 and NOT have to worry about getting a state compliant one. Excited.

we moved here and love it. 20 min south of charlotte NC . look at the fort mill / tega cay area . growing like crazy. new homes from 150 - 600k. most in 250 - 350k range. lots of folks moving. we hope they leave the liberal attitudes back in their liberal states and don't bring them here

good, there is no need to keep supporting Marxist Communists, If Connecticut wants to DO SOMETHING, fund mental health, unless they want sandy hook to happen again, liberals will put people in harms way to get what they want, even if it means sacrificing little kids.

Bye libzone they bought the whole story.A closed down school was shot up right. Robbie parker the bad actor in this made for tv production . look I have hundreds of fb friends not one of them knew anyone who knew anyone that was shot in sandy hook. would our government lie to us? you answer that on your own.

Pretty awesome I am from Horry County, SC. Think I know where they will be going too there is a pretty good sized warehouse on the left side of 501 heading west through Aynor that has been empty for a while unless they plan on building their own. There is really nothing in Aynor I only go up there for gun auctions there is one tomorrow have one every month.

You must not know anything about Aynor.Aynor is a wonderful place to live and I am glad that both of my kids Graduated from Aynor. People from Aynor or polite and cares about their neighbors.I love that I am from the little Golden Town of Aynor.

How do you veiw jobs?? There might be 10% since they are moving employee's also. So we have new neighbors higher taxes due to new buisness without employment.Hmm What breaks did the co get? Yeah we got screwed all around.

I heard about COLT a few weeks back. I haven't gotten any updates. We sure need some folks down here in the Sunshine State! When the day of division comes we need as many of the manufactures in our State as possible!